Ventilators and related breathing circuits assist a patient with breathing. For example, during surgery and other medical procedures, a ventilator provides respiratory gases to the patient. The ventilator provides respiratory gases into the patient's respiratory tract via an artificial airway tube, such as a tracheostomy tube, endotracheal tube, etc. While some breathing circuits establish a single, direct fluid connection between the ventilator and the artificial airway, in many instances, caregivers desire the ability to introduce instruments and/or devices into the breathing circuit, for example, to insert instruments for visualization or related procedures, or to aspirate fluid or secretions from the patient's airway. Accordingly, an airway adaptor permits coupling of a patient's artificial airway to a ventilator while also facilitating the introduction of other instruments into the artificial airway.
Instruments, such as a suction catheter, are inserted through an access port or opening of the airway adaptor and into the artificial airway of the patient. In some instances, the airway adaptor includes a valve to obstruct the access port and isolate the breathing circuit when the instrument is retracted from the artificial airway. Because the breathing circuit is under positive pressure with respect to the ambient environment, isolation of the breathing circuit prevents substances from transferring from the breathing circuit into the ambient environment.